Finding Me Again
by Bang
Summary: *AU fic* Suppose things happened differently in 01... and one of them didn't survive. How would their world change? How hard would it be to get back to themselves? R and R please! *ch. 2 up!*
1. A New Beginning

Wow. I'm back again, with another story for your reading pleasure. Standard disclaimers apply. Enjoy!  
  
Finding Me Again  
  
According to the theory of Alternate Universes, there was originally only one universe. As time went on, however, it branched out into many, so that now there are billions. Why did it happen, though? The answer is quite simple. In every situation, there are a variety of possible outcomes, but only one can actually come about. The other possibilities don't just go away, though. Another universe branches off to account for the unused possibilities. As it happens, therefore, a universe can spring from something as simple as a coin toss or from something much bigger. Some universes may be quite similar to ours, having branched off more recently, but others may be unrecognizably different.  
  
The following story deals with the creation of an alternate universe, beginning at a pivotal point during the first season of Digimon.  
  
* * * *  
  
Prologue  
  
"SORAAA!" Tai screamed, rushing forward as fast as was humanly possible. He could see her falling toward the pitch darkness as though each second was a hundred years. If there had been room for anything else in his mind, he would have cursed Datamon, but who could think about that now?  
  
"Help me, Tai!" Sora yelled, her arms reaching desperately for something - anything! - to hold on to. What she found was Tai.  
  
"Don't worry. I won't let go," he assured her.  
  
Fate had other ideas, though. Sora's hand slowly slipped from inside her red glove. They both willed it not to happen, but who can stop fate? In reality, it took less than a second, but for them it was an eternity that they had no control over.  
  
Her hand, almost unbearably slowly, escaped his grasp, and she plunged into the empty darkness. Tai was left with nothing to show for his efforts but a single, red glove.  
  
"SORAAA.!" his voice trembled with pain as tears fell across his cheeks unnoticed. She was gone.  
  
That's when he changed. The eyes that normally shone a gentle, impish brown now glowed with orange fire as he spat out a single word angrily. "Datamon."  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Chapter 1: A New Beginning  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
"The spirit realm, dearie."  
  
"How did I get here?"  
  
"Same way all of us do, hon. Ya died."  
  
"Oh." A pause. "How?"  
  
"Don't remember anything, do ya, girlie? Not even yer name?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well, that don't matter much. Ya won't be here very long. Boss' got a job fer ya."  
  
"Oh." Another pause. "How do you know?"  
  
"I make it my business to know what all's going down in this 'ere place. Best make yerself comfortable, hon. Boss ain't known fer 'is promptness."  
  
So, she waited. And waited. It may have been only a few minutes, it might have been a few years. Not that it really mattered to her. She had all the spare time she would ever need. Eternity.  
  
So, she waited. While she waited, she learned. The talkative spirit she first met turned out to be true to her word. She learned that the Boss kept watch over all the living worlds. The Boss occasionally gave spirits that had done important things during their living time jobs to do.  
  
"I did something important?"  
  
"Mebee, girlie. Mebee. Boss coulda jus' taken a shine to ya, though. Does that sometimes."  
  
Most of the time, the jobs involved going to a living world. Watching over it; being a guardian. The Boss was very busy. He didn't have time to watch every world all the time. Usually, he just got a spirit to look after each world for him. The Boss would only take over when something was terribly wrong, and the spirit couldn't fix it. That didn't happen often, though. The Boss chose his spirits well.  
  
"Do you guard a world?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Really? Which one?"  
  
"This one, o'course! Why else would I hang 'round 'ere, dearie?"  
  
Spirits that were chosen were also given special privileges. They were allowed to keep their bodies. It was really a very sensible thing to grant, because spirits cannot survive on their own in living worlds. The spirits were also allowed to use their minds at their full capacity. This gave them several new talents, telekinesis being one. All this was granted, and the only condition was that they not reveal themselves to the living inhabitants of the world. It was a fair trade-off, most thought.  
  
"I'll get my body back, then?"  
  
"What makes ya think ya lost it in the first place?"  
  
"I still have my body?"  
  
"Yep. Yer's was an int'resting death, 's I recall."  
  
Then he called. It was strange. Blinding light parted the darkness that had surrounded her. Suddenly, she could she. Two doors were directly in front of her. They were delicately engraved with leaves, flowers, and words in a language she couldn't understand. Walking towards the doors, they opened for her, exposing more white light.  
  
"Come no further."  
  
She stopped. Bowing, she lifted her head, but could see nothing, save the same light.  
  
"I have watched you. You did well in your life, young one. You should be proud," the voice boomed all around her. It was impossible to tell which direction it was coming from.  
  
"Thank you," she bowed again. "But. what did I do?"  
  
"'Tis of no importance. What is, however, is that I have chosen you to guard one of the newer worlds. It hasn't been around for a great deal of time, but already it is in need of help. I think you'd be well suited to the task. Effective immediately. You'd best be off, young one."  
  
"Yes, but, would you tell me something first?"  
  
"Yes, young one?"  
  
"What is my name? Please, tell me. It is very important to me," she pleaded.  
  
The voice took on a tired tone. "Very well. It suits you, it really does. You were named for the sky. You are Sora."  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Years later.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Dearie, what a pleasant surprise! What're ya doing' 'ere?" the old spirit cried happily. "Bin right lonely withou' ya!"  
  
"It's good to see you, too," Sora smiled. "But, I didn't actually come to talk. I need to see the Boss." Her expression turned grave. "Things are not going well in my world."  
  
"Ahh, ya poor dear. 'S always 'ard when that 'appens. Ya go right ahead and see 'im now; there's a good girl. Boss'll be able ta do sumthin'."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"What is it, young one?"  
  
"Well, you see, sir," she bowed her head, frightened of how he would react, "I don't think I've done a very good job. Guarding my world, I mean. Evil has set in. I- I can do nothing," she began to sob. The Boss had trusted her, and she had let him down so quickly.  
  
"Hush, young one," Sora felt pressure on her shaking shoulder, although she could still see no more than lights like those from a billion camera flashes. "No spirit could stand against such forces of evil."  
  
She looked up, surprised. "You knew?"  
  
The voice spoke kindly, "Were you not told that I know all? I have watched all worlds since the beginning of there existence, and shall continue to watch, until the end of it all." Sora looked up in awe. She had been under the impression that the Boss was simply another spirit. Now, she understood that he was so much more than that. "Do not let the evil times overly trouble you, young one. Though this world has not many more years than you do, I have sent saviours before. I shall do so again. They shall crush the evil where it stands!"  
  
"But." Sora was a bit apprehensive, "if they weren't able to stop it before, how can you be sure they will now?"  
  
"Separated, they can do but little, for it is from each other that their strength is drawn. Circumstances led to their downfall. However, that shall not happen now. I leave it in your hands to see that they are kept together. By any means necessary."  
  
"Even."  
  
"Yes," he answered quickly, somehow knowing what she had meant to say.  
  
"I shall do my best, sir." She bowed her head again. Then she was gone.  
  
"Yes. I believe bringing back the Chosen Children will work. After all, they failed last time only because they were separated. Now that she will be watching over them, nothing can go wrong. Unless. no. She can't remember. It could be too dangerous for all of them. Perhaps I should contact an old friend."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Well, how was it? C'mon, be honest. Questions? Comments? E-mail me at kitcat_46@hotmail.com. Reviews would be much appreciated! ( Toodles! 


	2. Without You

I'm back!! Did ya miss me? Naw, I didn't think so. But that's okay, chapter 2's ready, anyway! Enjoy! Oh, and Fallen Angel, thanks so much for your review, but I'm not sure what couplings there are gonna be in this fic. Anything is possible!! Well. not anything. even I have limits. ^_~  
  
Disclaimer: Me no own Digimon. You no sue.  
  
1 Finding Me Again - Chapter 2: Without You  
  
"Datamon." he growled, his normally impish brown eyes glowing a fiery orange. He had lost her. And now, that son of a bitch digimon was going to pay.  
  
* * * *  
  
"I-I c-can't believe what h-happened!" Mimi sobbed all over Jyou, as he clumsily tried to comfort her. "S-sora!"  
  
"Mattie," TK tugged on his brother's shirt. "Mattie, I want Mommy."  
  
"I wouldn't mind seeing her right now, either, TK," he answered, turning so that the others couldn't see the tears he knew were coming.  
  
"What I don't understand is what came over Tai," Izzy spoke up from his computer. He hadn't looked up from it since they had come back to camp, and his voice seemed hollow. All eyes now turned to Tai, however, who was seated a few feet away from everyone else, holding her crest and the single glove; the only bits of Sora left. "You should've seen him. After-after s- she fell. He attacked Datamon. Ripped him limb from limb. He didn't need Agumon's help, or-or anything! I've never seen anything like it. H-he was like an animal!"  
  
Nobody wanted to believe Koushiro, but how could they not? The proof was fueling their campfire. They weren't about to take the chance that Datamon would be re-born in Primary Village. The fiend didn't deserve better than to burn, anyway. Even if it smelt horrible, it did give off a great deal of heat, which was nice for a change. It was just hard to believe that all the cables and hardware were courtesy of Tai's bare hands, that was all.  
  
Everyone eventually went to sleep, except for Tai. There would be no rest for him tonight. Sora was gone, and it was all his fault. He had done stupid things before, but nothing this bad. If only he had listened to Izzy sooner. He never would have taken all those risks. Sora would still be here.  
  
"God, Taichi. You're a complete moron! A complete, utter, stupid, fucking moron!" he yelled at himself. "How could you drop her? How?"  
  
"Tai? Are you still awake?" Agumon sleepily asked.  
  
"Yeah. Go back to sleep, Agumon. I can keep watch myself tonight."  
  
"That's okay, Tai. I'll keep you company," the small, orange, dinosaur-like digimon answered. Agumon wasn't as stupid as he sometimes seemed. He knew perfectly well that Tai wanted to be alone, he just wasn't sure that was such a good idea. People can do pretty crazy things when they're depressed.  
  
"Thanks," Tai almost managed a smile. "You're a pal, Agumon."  
  
Both of them were silent for a time, until Agumon asked, "You know it wasn't your fault, don't you, Tai?"  
  
"It was my fault!" his voice anguished as he answered. "I dropped her! How could it not be my fault? She wouldn't even have been kidnapped if I had just listened to Izzy. It was all my fault."  
  
"No," Agumon countered quietly. "It was Datamon's fault. You know it was. The others know it was, too." When Tai didn't answer, he continued, "It makes me ashamed to be a digimon. We're supposed to protect you kid, y'know? And. we couldn't do anything. Nothing. I felt so worthless. And Biyomon. she hasn't said a word. It's like the rest of the world doesn't exist anymore. I'm worried."  
  
Something suddenly clicked inside Tai's mind, and one good, hard look at Agumon confirmed it. This was not the lighthearted little digimon he was used to. No, this Agumon looked exhausted with worry, and he hadn't even noticed until now! God, Taichi! he thought. Could you be any more stupid?  
  
"Agumon. I'm sorry. I didn't know." They hugged like old friends, although in our flow of time, they hadn't even known each other for a day.  
  
"Thanks, Tai. You humans really are good friends, even if you do need saving all the time," Agumon made an attempt at his usual humor.  
  
Taichi managed to crack a small smile. "I think Datamon would disagree with you there," he replied, gesturing to the fire a short distance away. He instantly regretted ever mentioning that name, as his partner digimon's eyes darkened. He could tell that the rest of the night was just going to be between him and his thoughts. That scared him because his thoughts were still stuck inside the pyramid, with the owner of the small, red glove he still held in his palm. "Sora." he whispered. He bent his head down, and finally allowed himself to cry.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"What do you man, Gennai? We haven't even defeated Etemon yet; how can we just leave?" Jyou asked the holographic image of Gennai, the whole reason they had come to Server in the first place. "Not that I'm in any way opposed to going home," he clarified.  
  
"Jyou." Gomamon sighed. That boy had learnt absolutely nothing from him.  
  
"You Chosen Children just aren't strong enough when you're separated. You should be well aware of that, from your experiences with Devimon. Now that one of you is going to be missing permanently, well." Gennai trailed off.  
  
"Excuse my rudeness, but, have you ever heard of a thing called 'tact'?" Koushiro questioned angrily. "That's kind of a touchy subject."  
  
"Sorry. I know this came as a shock to all of you, but we have to move on."  
  
"G-Gennai, it j-jus-just happened y-yesterday!" Mimi hadn't let up her sobbing, although she had given Jyou a break, and was now clinging to Matt.  
  
"Will you kids just let me finish?!" he yelled. Everyone stared at him with wide eyes, completely silent. "That's better. Now, I know the last few days have been stressful, and it might seem like I'm running out on you, but this is really for your own good. Unless you are all together, you kids do not have the power to save this world. I would much rather send six of you home now, alive, than keep you here and send you towards certain death. Either way, the Digital World has almost no hope, but at least this way, you escape with your lives! Is that all clear?" They nodded. "Good. So, you can all see your families again! Isn't that great?" His tone now became serious, instead of patronizing. "If our troubles become too much worse, we will summon you again. In extreme situations, six of you are better than nothing. For now, though, six of you will just not do. Farewell, Chosen Ones."  
  
The dimensional rift opened, as it had when they first came to the Digital World, and the six Chosen Children were transported back to their world. A question was uttered as they were sucked inside, the voice indistinguishable. "What are we going to tell her parents.?"  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
5 years later.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Heads up, guys!"  
  
"Air ball!"  
  
"I got it!"  
  
"No way, Yagami! That one's going off the field!"  
  
"Nice one, Motomiya!" one of the guys called sarcastically. "Go grab it! We already lost one today."  
  
"Taichi called it!" Daisuke countered. "He can go get it."  
  
"Relax, guys. I'm going, I'm going," Taichi answered, jogging off the field. "Now, where'd it go?" he asked himself, scratching his head. His brown mass of hair was as unruly as ever, but it seemed especially so in the wind as he headed toward the trees. "Man, Motomiya," he said to himself, "could you have kicked it any further away?" The kid was pretty good, he had to admit that, but Daisuke would never make the high school soccer team if he couldn't learn to control that strength.  
  
"I believe you're looking for this?" a woman's voice asked from beside one of the taller trees. Tai saw that she was holding the missing soccer ball.  
  
"Hey, thanks," the sixteen-year-old boy said, reaching for the black and white ball. Then he saw who was holding it, and his face fell. "Oh. Ms. Takenouchi."  
  
"Yagami Taichi," she greeted. "Are you ready to tell me what happened to my daughter, now?" Her face was deliberately expressionless, as though she were trying hard to keep it that way.  
  
He shifted his weight uncomfortably, saying, "I already told you five years ago."  
  
"Tell me what happened to her," Ms. Takenouchi insisted stiffly.  
  
"We were hiking at camp," Tai responded with a clenched jaw. "We went past a cliff and she slipped. We couldn't catch her in time. She fell into the river, and she never came back up. That's what happened."  
  
"Do you," she questioned angrily, "really expect me to believe that?"  
  
"That's what happened," he repeated stonily.  
  
"You told me that five years ago. I didn't believe you then. Why do you think I would be stupid enough to believe you now? You're not telling me something, Taichi." He just stared at her, not saying a word. "I'm her mother!" Ms. Takenouchi's voice became more and more pleading as she spoke, ending off desperate. "I have a right to know!"  
  
Taichi didn't know what to say. Sora's mother had confronted him about this several times before, but he had always been able to escape until now. Tai wasn't about to tell her the truth, either. She'd be less likely to believe that than any lie he could tell her.  
  
"Please, Taichi," she begged, her eyes finally giving way to tears. "If it was your fault, I won't blame you in the slightest. But I need to know. Can't you see that?"  
  
"Ms. Takenouchi, I was telling you the truth," he lied through his teeth.  
  
"They never found a body. Sora's body would've washed up somewhere. You're lying to me," she said evenly.  
  
Damn. There goes my story, flying out the window, he thought. 'If it was your fault, I won't blame you in the slightest. If it was your fault.' It was my fault.  
  
Then he remembered the glove he always kept with him. "Fine." He wasn't really thinking anymore, as he pulled it from his pocket. "Fine. I dropped her, okay? She fell, I caught her, but I dropped her. Are you happy now?! I dropped her!"  
  
Tai grabbed the soccer ball from Ms. Takenouchi's stunned hands, and shoved the glove in her face, before storming off.  
  
Recognizing the colour, she held it close, and murmured, "Sora," with tears in her eyes.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Yo, Yagami! Where d'you think you're going? We got a game to finish!" one of the guys yelled as Taichi stormed straight past the soccer field.  
  
He tossed them the ball, shouting, "I gotta get home. I, uhh, didn't notice how late it was. Yeah, I don't want to get in crap with my parents."  
  
"What?! Man, it's only seven! You're usually out way later than this! What gives?"  
  
"I, um, gotta watch my little sister."  
  
"Hikari? I thought you said she had a date tonight."  
  
"Uhh, she does. That's why I, umm, have to be there. The little prick is coming over to our place, and I, uhh, have to be able to beat the shit out of him if he touches her." The strain of having to think up plausible excuses so quickly was starting to wear on Tai, and he bolted before they could ask anymore questions. "I'll see ya!"  
  
"Hey, guys," Daisuke had spotted Ms. Takenouchi leaving the park after Taichi. "There's that freaky, old lady again. Ever notice how Yagami always splits after he runs into her? 200 yen says she's 'using' him, if you get my meaning."  
  
"Only 200? I'd bet 2000 yen!"  
  
"You guys have sick minds. She probably just freaks him out, is all."  
  
"No way, Ichijoji. There's something going on between them. My wager's 5000 yen."  
  
"Gentlemen, this isn't a casino. Are we not here to play soccer? Let's go!"  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Gennai!"  
  
"Who's there?" the old man, asked, looking all around, trying to find where the voice had come from.  
  
"Did you forget me so soon?"  
  
"Boss?" he looked and sounded relieved, although still somewhat puzzled.  
  
"Who else would it be?"  
  
"But, what do you want? I thought you wouldn't be speaking directly to me anymore, now that this world had a guardian," he spoke, basically rambling on as though he was afraid.  
  
"Spirits can only do so much. She can do no more. It is time to re- summon the Chosen Children."  
  
"What? They are useless without their seventh member! They will all be killed! What good could that possibly do?"  
  
"Gennai, Gennai," the booming voice sounded as though it were almost laughing at him. "There are more digidestined in this other world than even you shall ever know about. Obviously, they are not as powerful are the Chosen Seven, but they are digidestined, nonetheless."  
  
"Why do you speak as though there are still seven?" Gennai was clearly becoming frustrated. "There are only SIX, because the other one."  
  
The Boss interrupted, "Yes, yes. I know. She died. Do you not remember who is appointed guardian of this world? You should. It was you who suggested her."  
  
"Of course." everything suddenly made sense in his mind.  
  
"Now that that's taken care of, back to the matter at hand. Summon the Chosen Ones. Good day to you, Gennai."  
  
"Boss? Boss?! Boss.!"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
There. Now, before you all flame me for having "something going on" between Tai and Ms. Takenouchi, I should first tell you that I didn't actually say that. No, what I said was that that's what all Tai's friends on the soccer team were thinking. And yes, I know that Ken and Davis are not actually on Tai's team, but this is my alternate universe, and I can do what I want. Nyahh!! *blows raspberries at all would-be flamers* However, you can flame me for spelling Ken's last name wrong. I'm pretty sure I did.  
  
Hope you like where this is going so far. Next chapter, character development, character development, and more character development. Did I mention character development? Until then, toodles!  
  
Questions? Comments? E-mail me at kitcat_46@hotmail.com. Reviewing greatly appreciated. Thanx! ^_^ 


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